Elvis Presley: Remembering the King Through Old Photos from 1950s to 1970s

Elvis Aaron Presley, also known as Elvis, born in 1935, was an American singer and actor who left an indelible mark on the world of music and entertainment.

Known as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is celebrated as one of the most influential cultural figures of the 20th century.

Presley's lively interpretations of the songs and his daring performance style, which often pushed the boundaries of social norms, deeply appealed to audiences.

Their ability to blend different musical influences along racial lines during a crucial period in history not only brought them great success but also sparked significant controversy.

Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi and later moved to Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 13.

His musical career began in 1954 at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, whose aim was to introduce African-American music to a wider audience.

With lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley pioneered rockabilly, a lively blend of country music and rhythm and blues. Completing Presley's classic quartet, drummer D.J. Fontana joined in 1955.

RCA Victor acquired Presley's contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, his manager for more than two decades.

Presley's first RCA Victor single "Heartbreak Hotel", released in January 1956, became a chart-topping hit in the United States, selling ten million copies within a year.

Through successful television appearances and record sales, Presley rose to prominence as the face of the growing rock and roll movement.

Despite his popularity, Presley faced criticism for his performance style and promotion of African-American music, which was marginalized at the time. Many saw him as a threat to the moral values of white American youth.

In November 1956, Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender. After enlisting in military service in 1958, he resumed his recording career in the 1960s with some of his most successful works.

Despite this, Presley spent much of the 1960s performing few concerts, instead focusing on Hollywood films and soundtrack albums, many of which were not well received by critics.

Some of his most famous films from this period include Jailhouse Rock (1957), Blue Hawaii (1961), and Viva Las Vegas (1964).

In 1968, after a seven-year hiatus from live performance, Presley made a highly acclaimed return to the stage in the NBC television special Elvis.

This marked the beginning of an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a series of lucrative tours.

In 1973, Presley made history by giving the first concert by a solo artist, Aloha from Hawaii, to be broadcast worldwide.

However, years of prescription drug abuse and poor eating habits adversely affected Presley's health. He died unexpectedly at his Graceland estate in August 1977 at the age of 42.

With an estimated 500 million records sold worldwide, Presley is one of the best-selling music artists in history.

Their commercial success has spanned multiple genres, including pop, country, rockabilly, rhythm and blues, adult contemporary, and gospel.

Throughout his career, Presley won three Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the age of 36.

He has been inducted into several music halls of fame and holds several records, such as most RIAA-certified gold and platinum albums, most albums on the Billboard 200, most number-one albums by a solo artist on the UK Albums Chart . chart, and the most number-one singles by any act on the UK Singles Chart.

In 2018, Presley was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.